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"I know," she replied softly. "You're safe now. Oh, Jake," she sighed sadly, "you need a hug, and I can't give you one. Wait a minute. I'll be right back." Abby disappeared for a moment, and returned with a large black teddy bear. "Uncle Terry gave this to me when I was two years old," she said, introducing the large, worn, stuffed animal to Jake.

"I don't want it," he refused, flatly.

"Her name is Daisy, and I expect you to take good care of her," insisted Abby, placing the teddy bear under the covers, beside him in bed. "Hold on to her, Jake. You'll feel better."

The effects of the flashback were still lingering, so Jake wrapped his arms around the soft animal and clenched his hands into its black fur. Abby stepped back as her friend buried his face into the old teddy bear for comfort.

"Please," he begged Abby, "don't tell anyone."

"I won't," she promised gently.

Unwilling to leave him alone just yet, Abby sat in a chair on the other side of the room and waited until his tightly clenched fists began to relax. By the time Jake had at last fallen asleep, his boyishly handsome face was resting against the worn bear that Abby had had since childhood.

"You're in good hands, Daisy," she silently whispered, tiptoeing from the room and returning to her empty bed. Jake hadn't had a night flashback in a while, and Abby guessed that it was because of her.

The next morning, Jake woke up to find that he had wet his bed sometime during the night. In secret, he took Daisy to the bathroom and carefully cleaned her off.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to the worn teddy bear.

Jake carried his soiled sheets to the washing machine, and left the house to start breakfast at the Johanneses' home. Not long afterward, Abby woke up and dressed for work. When she found that breakfast wasn't ready, she suddenly remembered that she and Jake were eating at her parents' house.

"Good morning," greeted Terry, as Abby came though the front door.

Abby went to the kitchen, and found Jake busily making a breakfast large enough for five adults. When he saw her, Jake gave Abby a small smile and returned to his work. It never ceased to amaze the young woman how much at ease Jake seemed to be in front of a stove; he could manage several dishes with simultaneous ease-- something which Abby had never been able to do.

"Something smells good," said John, coming into the kitchen with Izumi's empty food tray.

John carefully arranged a single flower in a small vase, the Lifestyles section of the newspaper, and two glasses of orange juice, on the tray. When Jake had finished cooking, John added two plates, forks, and some napkins. With a wink to his daughter, John carried the tray back to their bedroom, where Izumi was waiting to eat breakfast with her husband.

"I don't know about you guys," joked Terry, hungrily sitting down at the table, "but I intend to gain at least five pounds from this meal!"

Jake served the remaining two, and, in the tradition of all good chefs, was the last to sit down to eat.

"You know, I was thinking," said Terry, munching a mouthful of pancake, "me and the guys could throw you a baby shower!"

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," hesitated Abby, for she could just imagine what kind of baby shower several men would be able to give.

"Why not?" asked Terry, loading his fork again. "You could get a lot of free stuff, eat cake... get a lot of free stuff..." he added again with a smile. "Come on, let your fishing buddies do this for you, huh? What do you say? Jake, you could handle the meal, couldn't you?"

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